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Nepalese

Chicken thukpa

Non-vegetarian

थुक्पा · thukpa

A warming Himalayan noodle soup as made in Nepal: chicken and vegetables in a gingery, lightly spiced broth with tomato, a touch of timur pepper and plenty of noodles.

Chicken thukpa is a Nepalese soup, ready in about 45 minutes and made with chicken thigh, chicken stock and egg noodles. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Close-up of thukpa noodle soup with vegetables and tomato
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-2.0
Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
599

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Fry the onion (opens in a new tab) in the oil until soft, then add the garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger, tomatoes (opens in a new tab), cumin (opens in a new tab), turmeric (opens in a new tab) and timur (opens in a new tab) and cook to a soft paste.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken and stir until it changes colour, then pour in the stock with the carrot (opens in a new tab), cabbage (opens in a new tab), soy sauce (opens in a new tab) and salt. Simmer until the chicken is cooked.

    • 12 min
    • medium-low heat

    Food safety: Simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

  3. Step 3

    Add the noodles and cook according to the packet, adding the spinach (opens in a new tab) for the last minute.

    • 6 min
    • medium heat
    Pasta boiling in a pot of water
    How it looks · Photo: Gianpiero Ferraro on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Ladle into bowls and top with spring onion (opens in a new tab), cilantro (opens in a new tab) and chilli flakes (opens in a new tab).

    About this dish

    Origin
    Tibetan plateau · Commonly attributedOf Tibetan origin; widely eaten in Nepal, Bhutan and the Indian Himalaya, where tomato and spices are often added.Also popular in Nepal, Bhutan, India
    Dish
    Lunch · Dinner · Soups · Noodles
    Cooking method
    Simmered, Boiled
    Taste
    savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced, peppery, fresh
    Diet
    Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
    All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Low-fat
    With the listed swaps: Egg-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    One-pot · Everyday
    Cook more with
    Chicken thigh · Chicken stock · Egg noodles · Onion · Garlic · Fresh ginger
    Techniques
    Boiling · Simmering

    Allergens

    • Contains, can be adapted: Eggsfrom egg noodles
    • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom soy sauce, egg noodles
    • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom soy sauce, egg noodles
    • Contains: Soyfrom soy sauce
    • May contain: Celeryfrom chicken stock

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    599 kcal per serving

    Calculated

    1 serving ≈ 709 g · recipe makes 4

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 26%
    • Carbohydrate 47%
    • Fat 27%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy599 kcal84 kcal
    Protein38.3 g5.4 g
    Carbohydrate70.1 g9.9 g
    Net carbohydrate64.6 g9.1 g
    Sugars12.1 g1.7 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre5.5 g0.8 g
    Fat18.2 g2.6 g
    Saturated fat3.5 g0.5 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol146 mg21 mg
    Sodium1485 mg210 mg
    Salt equivalent3.7 g0.5 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    1224 mg
    Calcium
    107 mg
    Iron
    5.7 mg
    Magnesium
    109 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    247 µg
    Vitamin C
    33 mg
    Vitamin D
    0.2 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0.7 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    322 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: sichuan peppercorns, coriander leaves, red chilli flakes.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Cook the noodles separately if you plan to have leftovers, so they don't swell in the broth.

    Common mistakes

    • Overcooking the noodles in the broth — they keep softening in the bowl.

    Serve with

    • Serve with a fiery tomato achar on the side.

    Storage

    • Refrigerate broth and noodles separately for up to 2 days.

    Reheating

    • Bring the broth back to a boil, then add the noodles.

    Variations

    • Vegetable thukpa: Use vegetable stock, tofu or mushrooms instead of chicken.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 1, 2, 3

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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